Unai Emery applauds Aston Villa fans. (Photo by Neville Williams/Aston Villa FC via Getty Images)
Aston Villa manager Unai Emery has provided an update on Ollie Watkins after he was seen sitting on the bench with ice on his ankle.
Villa got their Champions League campaign off to a winning start as they beat Swiss side BSC Young Boys 3-0 thanks to goals from Your Tielemans, Jacob Ramsey and Amadou Onana.
The England international was denied his first Champions League goal as his strike in the first half was ruled out for handball in the build up.
Emery provides Watkins update
Watkins started the game but was replaced on the hour mark by Jhon Duran, but was worryingly seen with ice round his ankle as he took his place on the bench.
Villa fans would have been fearing the worst for one of their key players, who has started all four Premier League games and scored twice in Saturday’s 3-2 win over Everton.
However, Unai Emery seemed to play down how serious the injury was with his post match comments and said the striker was ok, whilst also admitting he and Duran could play together.
“Yes, he’s okay,” Emery said when asked about Watkins.
“Now we have as well Jhon Duran in good form, they can play together.
“But something as well, today he plays 60 minutes, another 30 minutes for Duran. Of course, we need both, together, individually, adding his capacity on the pitch in the time we need.”
Duran, who has started the season brilliantly and scored a wonder goal in the game agaisnt Everton also had a goal ruled out in the second half.
Emery is in a great position where he’s got two strikers in great form which can only be a good thing, although it has to be said Duran has probably started the season slightly better than Watkins and has three goals to Watkins’ two having played less minutes.
Top photo by Neville Williams/Aston Villa FC via Getty Images
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